Bensham Manor School is a large oversubscribed secondary special school for students with a wide range of special needs.  We make provision for students who have statements of educational needs which include; autism, complex needs, speech, language and communication difficulties. Our aim is to recognise and respond to the individual needs of students and provide them with a relevant and challenging curriculum. We have a Post 16 provision on site. All students have a statement of special education needs or Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which is reviewed annually.  We work hard to ensure students are successful and we celebrate and recognise achievement and effort in all areas of the curriculum. Our close partnership with parents and carers is instrumental in supporting students to make their best progress. We work hard to make sure students are safe and happy and we are always willing to hear what you think we can do better.

Our school is a calm and productive learning environment. The staff team seek to maximise the potential of every student by taking advantage of every learning opportunity. The curriculum is broad and relevant to support our pupils into the 21st Century. Ofsted (2018) says we are a good school with outstanding features. We are a Flagship school for Inclusion and Healthy Eating and last summer we were proud to be commended and accredited by the National Autistic Society (NAS).

Entry level, GCSE, Enterprise, First Aid, Work Experience and the Duke of Edinburgh Award is on the timetable for older students, enabling them to experience the practical application of their learning and to gain the skills necessary to achieve employability. All our leavers develop the self-confidence as independent learners to participate fully in the adult world and are offered appropriate Post 16 placements in either FE Colleges or our own post 16 Department.

Our beliefs and philosophies of teaching and learning are underpinned by the values of collaborative practice. As a school our therapists and teachers work together to ensure that students have the best possible experience. Our Staff are our greatest asset and we have been an Investors in People Gold organisation for six years. We believe that every child can succeed and we have tailored our curriculum to develop their literacy, numeracy, employability and independence living skills.

All Bensham Manor students have an Education, Health and Care Plan and are referred by the Local Authority. They are lively, thoughtful and always ready to participate in a wide range of curriculum and extra-curricular activities.